Technical features are the backbone of any product, but they can also be the most challenging to communicate during a product demonstration. How can you showcase your product's capabilities without overwhelming or confusing your audience? Here are some effective ways to present technical features during a product demonstration.
Before you start your product demonstration, you need to understand who you are talking to and what they care about. Different industries and markets may have different pain points, goals, expectations, and preferences. Research your audience's background, needs, challenges, and questions, and tailor your product demonstration accordingly. Highlight the features that are most relevant and valuable to them, and avoid jargon or technical details that they may not understand or appreciate.
Don't show technical features. Ok, not that simple. If you're showing technical features that are clear differentiators and need to get into the weeds, know your audience. A CxO will likely not care about HOW something works but they will care about what it means to their team or their business. I've been stopped a few times while demoing early in my career by senior managers or company owners who just wanted to believe or trust that our products could do what we said it would. Get to the point, quickly and then move on.
One of the best ways to make your technical features memorable and relatable is to use stories and scenarios that illustrate how your product solves real problems for real customers. Stories and scenarios help you connect with your audience on an emotional level, and show them the benefits and outcomes of your product, not just the features and functions. Use specific examples, names, numbers, and situations that your audience can relate to, and show them how your product works in different contexts and environments.
A product demonstration is not a lecture, but a conversation. You need to balance show and tell, meaning you need to demonstrate your product's features visually and verbally. Use a mix of slides, screenshots, videos, live demos, and animations to show your product in action, and explain how each feature works, why it matters, and how it differs from the competition. Use simple and clear language, and avoid long or complex sentences. Also, invite your audience to ask questions, give feedback, and interact with your product during the demonstration.
This is exactly the point for me: given the fact your audience is here to listen to you because it is mainly interested in having a look at the product, i believe you don't have too be boring and take to much time in feeding them with preliminary info. The most useful combo for me is: preliminary introduction (very short), focus on the most important features with images (or short videos even better) maybe with the help of someone from R&D team, then leave the stage for the product itself: let the audience see it, feel it, touch it, use it and then be prepared to answer their questions.
While technical features are important, they are not the main reason why people buy your product. People buy your product because of the benefits it provides, such as saving time, money, or hassle, improving quality, performance, or satisfaction, or creating new opportunities, insights, or advantages. Therefore, you need to focus on the benefits of your technical features, not just the features themselves. For each feature you present, explain how it helps your audience achieve their goals, overcome their challenges, or satisfy their needs. Use quantifiable and specific benefits, such as percentages, numbers, or testimonials, to back up your claims.
That's important too. In my experience focusing on features without highlighting the main benefits is kind of pointless because audience wants to know the reasons why the will purchase the product and how it will benefit them. So how to make it easy for the audience to understand the benefits? listing them on a ppt is not as effective as collecting data which back them up, involve the r&d team to explain them from their pow (cad simulations, videos etc), record videos etc
Sometimes, technical features can be hard to grasp or appreciate, especially if they are new, complex, or abstract. In such cases, you can use comparisons and analogies to make your features more understandable and appealing. Comparisons and analogies help you relate your features to something familiar, simple, or concrete that your audience already knows or values. For example, you can compare your product to a well-known brand, product, or service, or use an analogy from a different domain, such as sports, music, or nature. Make sure your comparisons and analogies are relevant, accurate, and appropriate for your audience.
Finally, one of the most effective ways to present technical features during a product demonstration is to follow the KISS principle: Keep It Simple and Straightforward. Don't try to cram too many features, details, or information into your demonstration, as this can overwhelm or bore your audience. Instead, focus on the most important and impactful features, and present them in a logical and coherent order. Use clear and concise language, and avoid acronyms, abbreviations, or technical terms that your audience may not know or understand. Also, use visuals, examples, and stories to support your points, and summarize the key takeaways at the end of your demonstration.